Chapter 2: Frozen in Time

First there was darkness. The sound of machinery clanking together as the platform slowed to a stop. Then, a blinding white light, the silhouettes of two men in blue jumpsuits entering Skyler's field of view.

Neighbours were murmuring to each other, voices a mix of uncertainty and shock. Skyler eased up her grip on Nate, but still held onto his arm.

"Are you okay? Is Shaun okay?" she fussed, checking over her husband and son.

"It's okay Hon," Nate assured her breathlessly, quickly averting his gaze to Shaun as if to see if he truly was okay. "Yeah, we're okay... we made it."

One of the men in blue started ordering the survivors. "Alright folks! Everyone make their way off the elevator in and proceed up the stairs in an orderly fashion."

One person started shakily making their way to the stairs. The second man in blue began to speak. "No need to worry people! I am the Overseer, and I can assure you all that you're all perfectly safe here. Now let's get everyone situated into their new home! Vault 111; a better future, underground!"

"My God..." an old man blubbered shakily. Skyler recognised him as Mr Able, a retired police officer. "If-if we had leave a minute later we'd all be-"

"Now now, there's no need to get caught up thinking about that. You're safe now," said the Overseer. "Now just head up these stairs, then go right through the door."

Skyler staggered forward, Nate following close behind. The place looked so far ahead in technology, Skyler noted to herself. Everything looked top of the line, from the machinery to the jumpsuits. As they got to the ramp, she could see more high-end tech.

A robotic female voice sounded through the Vault through the speakers. "Vault-Tec is here for you. All new residents please proceed in an orderly fashion. Welcome home."

People walked through a weird scanning gate. Probably to detect any radiation, Skyler thought. As she walked through the radiation scanner another neighbour was getting a blue jumpsuit from one of the Vault-Tec people. Now closer up, she could see that in yellow was the number "111" on the back of the jumpsuit. Skyler took both hers and Nate's as he was holding Shaun. The woman who handed them the suits told them to head down the hall with the doctor.

"Okay you three, follow me," the doctor said with a wave of his hand.

The O'Sullivans followed the doctor down the hallway, passing couples and people o their own as they went.

Nate glanced around looking cautious. He leaned in close and spoke low enough that only Skyler could hear what he was saying. "I have a bad feeling about this, Babe."

Skyler kept her eyes ahead. "How so?" she replied quietly. "We're safe from the nukes now, Nate."

"Yeah, but I can't shake this feeling like there's more to this place than meets the eye."

Meanwhile the doctor was rambling. "Oh you're gonna love this place! It's one of our most advanced facilities - not that the other Vaults aren't as great mind you."

Nate cleared his throat and spoke in a louder voice, sounding more confident. But Skyler knew he was covering his emotions. "So Doc, how long will we be down here for?"

"Oh, we'll be going over all of that in orientation," the doctor said offhandedly. "We just ave to go over a few medical items first."

They entered a room at the end of the hall. The room was filled with these strange cases, like pods. Skyler could feel Nate stiffen beside her as he looked at them. Even she felt unnerved now.

"Just puts your Vault suits on and step in here please," the doctor told them.

After they put the suits on, just as Skyler was about to step inside the pod, Shaun started to cry.

"Shh, it's okay baby," Nate cooed. "Mommy is right here, see?"

Skyler stepped over and gave her son a kiss on the cheek. "I'm not going anywhere Shaun. I'm not leaving you." As she straightened up she stared into Nate's eyes fiercely. "I'm not leaving either of you."

"We're in this together, yeah?"

"Yeah," Skyler repeated, "together."

Skyler and shared a kiss, and then stepped into their pods.

The case to Skyler pod clamped shut. She didn't really listen to what the doctor was saying; she just kept her eyes on Nate and Shaun. Her heart was racing. Nate's words from earlier were in her mind.

The robotic voice from before returned. "Residents secured."

Skyler glanced down into a pocket in the jumpsuit; the family photo was neatly tucked away. Relief flooded through her. She had carefully snuck it into her pocket while no one was looking.

"Occupant vitals; normal."

From across the room, Nate mouthed an "I love you" to Skyler, which she returned.

"Procedure complete. In 5..."

The window had started to fog up, and ice slowly crept it's way across the window. Ice? Skyler wondered, a feeling of dread washing over her. Why is there ice?

"4...3..."

Skyler breathing slowed, and she felt tired. Why is there ice? she thought once again. What was Vault-Tec doing?

"2...1..."

Nate was right.

"Manual override initiated. Cryogenic stasis suspended."

Skyler's eyes slowly opened. The ice on the window had begun to fade away. How... long was I asleep?

Across the room she could see Nate, frozen, along with Shaun.

Nate...Shaun...my baby.

"This is the one. Here."

Two people appeared. One, a woman in some kind of hazmat suit. The other a bald man, wearing some strange kind of outfit with a metal brace on his left am.

"Open it," the man ordered.

The woman got to work, pressing buttons on the lever to Nate's pod. The case opened, lifting up. Not moments later Nate started coughing, and Shaun started to cry.

"What... what happened? Is my boy okay?" he wheezed.

"Almost," the man replied, "everything is gonna be fine."

The woman in the hazmat then reached out and tried to grab Shaun. "Come here."

"No, I've got him," Nate protested, keeping his hold on his son.

Skyler's heart began to speed up. She had to get out. She tried opening her mouth, but no sound came out. Her lips didn't move. They couldn't.

The bald man then pulled out a gun, aiming it at Nate. Oh God, no. Please no...

"Let the boy go. I'm only telling you once."

Nate fought against the woman trying to steal Shaun. "I'm not giving you Shaun!"

It all happened so fast. The sound of gunfire. Nate slumping back into the pod, lifeless. Shaun's loud cries as the woman took him from his father's arms. Skyler's soundless screams.

The man swore. "Goddammit. Get him out of here. Let's go..." He then turned around to face her. Skyler glared at him with over-whelming hatred. She could see the scar that stretched down is face, across his eye. "At least we still have the backup." And with that, he turned and walked away with a smirk.

"Cryogenic sequence reinitialized."

I'm gonna find you, asshole, was Skyler's last thought before the world went cold and dark once more. No way in Hell was she letting anyone get away with this.